This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an electrical connection device, particularly for transmitting high current levels such as are required in various technical areas. For example, current levels of 125 amperes and more are transmitted at voltages of up to 1,000 volts. To do this, conductors with cross-sections of 25 or 35 mm2 may be required.
2. Discussion
Different electrical connection devices are known in the prior art for transmitting high current levels. They included flat contacts and particularly round-pin contacts in which the contact point is configured essentially rotationally symmetrical. Usually plugs with machined contact parts are used for high current levels of this order to transmit the current levels involved reliably.
A spring arm contact with an external upper spring to transmit electrical currents is known from DE 88 11 020 U1 wherein the spring arm contact has a spring arm base and spring arms extending forward. The contact force in the area of the contact point is transmitted by the spring arms, which have to be pressed apart against their clamping force when a blade contact is inserted. The external upper spring prevents the spring arms from bending upward and provides support for the spring arms. The disadvantage of using a spring arm contact of this type is that over time the copper material spring arms suffer from settling, which substantially reduces the spring force as a consequence, possibly resulting in operating malfunctions. In order to maintain the required clamping force permanently, a high initial clamping force must be provided in the basic state, causing considerable diminution in convenience when in use since it requires correspondingly high operating forces to insert and remove plug connectors of this type.
In the case of the commercially available round-pin connectors, the required current can be transmitted but they are complicated to produce, which is reflected in relatively high costs. In addition, they are relatively large in size which is not desirable in multi-pin connectors.